Prayer: Duty Taught by Precept and Example
By R.; H. L. S.
OUR duty in regard to prayer we learn both by precept and example. In this examination, I confine myself to the New Testament. The Saviour gave directions which ought to be studied by all. 1. Do not pray to be seen, or heard, of men. Carefully avoid all hypocrisy in the worship of God. But the direction to enter into thy closet, &c., does not forbid public or social prayer in their places. Jesus prayed in the presence of his disciples; and the apostles frequently prayed together. The remarkable prayer of the Saviour in John 17 was before his disciples; and several instances of social or public prayer are given in the Acts of the Apostles. But in a spirit of reverent devotion all else should be, comparatively, lost sight of, and the great thought of coming into the presence of the mighty God fill the mind. 2. Use not vain repetitions. This is said to be a fault of the heathen; and it is also a fault more common, perhaps, than any other among Christians. (1) In the use of set forms and phrases. These become so common with some people that they are used without any regard to fitness of time and circumstance. They have heard them so often used that they seem to think they are prayer, whenever and however spoken. In using stereotyped phrases there can be but little devotion or real worship. (2) Repetitions are often indulged in when the spirit of prayer is not present, and the speaker seems to think it necessary to pray about a certain length of time. When we consider the examples of prayer, we shall see how greatly they are mistaken in this. A person who goes over the same ground, and reiterates the same thing, not because the soul is burdened with the subject, but because the time must be filled out, or who utters old, set forms of speech, not because they express a present want, but because they are often used in prayer, no more worships God than did the Pharisee who prayed at the corner of the street. (3) There is a common form of repetition in prayer which is highly irreverent; it is the constant use of the divine name. The name of the Deity, in any of its forms, is too sacred to be used lightly, or to be spoken unnecessarily. Nothing can be more painful than to hear sentences disjoined and broken up with constant repetitions of sacred titles. Sometimes the speaker seems at a loss how to complete the sentence commenced, and the names or titles of the Father and Son are thrown in as helps, either to gain time, or to connect that which would otherwise appear incongruous. Did reverence permit, I would give some illustrations of prayers frequently heard. This is taking the name of God in vain, and cannot be acceptable to him. The Hebrew people were superstitious, we think, in regard to the use of the divine name; but to some extent their example is worthy of our attention. I knew a preacher whose use of the name of Deity in the pulpit was shockingly irreverent. He seldom spoke of the earth, directly, but would frequently speak of it as the footstool, using the name found in Rev. 16:14. I have often heard a single sentence in prayer containing the names of the Father and Son in various forms, mixed up in the most common-place petition, without any appearance of special fervency to justify it. Prayer should never be an attempt at doctrinal discourse. Prayer is petition—not teaching. It should never contain rhetorical flourishes, nor attempts at fine figures of speech. Some excuse themselves from praying because they cannot use good language. A sick child, burning with fever, would not hesitate to ask its mother for water, because it was not learned in language nor fluent in speech. Prayer should be the expression of the heart’s earnest desire for what we need, in the simplest language possible. Simple language is not inconsistent with the most elevated style. Gen. 1:1-5, is a most sublime composition, but a model of simplicity of expression. If the heart feels, the tongue can speak; or if the heart be overburdened, and the Spirit assists, making intercession even with groanings that cannot be uttered, still it is prayer. But this latter belongs more especially to secret prayer, for social prayer should be adapted to those present. Private prayer is not appropriate for public occasions. Very seldom should we pray with others where we cannot use the pronoun “we.” It is inappropriate and wrong for one to professedly lead others in prayer, and then pray concerning things in which they can have no interest, and of which, perhaps, they have no knowledge. Prayer should be with consideration. We would not presume to go into the presence of a Governor, to present a petition or ask a favor, without considering what we wanted, and then we would ask in appropriate language; and not only our language, but our manner, would indicate our respect and reverence for the personage whom we addressed. For the length of prayer, no rule can be given. The Saviour said, “After this manner, pray ye,” and then offered a prayer of less than one minute. In presenting the case of the Pharisee and the publican, he put six words in the prayer of the publican, a humble petition for mercy, and about five times as many in that of the Pharisee, which was a pompous address, rather than a petition. His prayer for his disciples at their last meeting before his crucifixion was less than five minutes in length. The prayer of the apostles on the occasion of choosing a successor to Judas, is contained in two verses. Somewhat longer is that which was offered when they were threatened and commanded to preach no more in the name of Jesus, recorded in Acts 4:24-30. Doubtless in secret they often prayed at greater length; but when the Saviour left his disciples to go alone to pray in the garden, but a few words are recorded, though his soul was in an awful agony; and these words were repeated as he went again, adding a few more words of resignation and submission. While no limit could be placed upon private devotional petitions, enough is learned from the Scriptures to warrant the advice given by an eminent Christian: “Let your prayers be short, frequent, and fervent.” R. & H. L. S.